Discrete components of stress impact trajectories of childhood irritability but not adolescent mental health outcomes.

Globally, stroke is the leading cause of acquired disability and the second leading cause of death, right after ischemic heart disease (). As most stroke patients survive the initial stage of the illness, the biggest health impact is typically caused by the long-term consequences affecting both patients and their families (). Stroke can result in physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and perceptive impairments (; ). Physical impairments can cause difficulties with balance, gait, and mobility (), while cognitive impairments, affecting over 70% of stroke patients (), can impact memory, executive functioning, attention, language, and visuospatial abilities (). These deficits often lead to psychological distress (), social isolation (), and reduced quality of life (). Furthermore, the burden also extends to informal caregivers, in most cases, spouses who take the role of the primary caregiver, thus being identified as the group most at risk of experiencing stress and burden (). Caring for a family member involves both physical and emotional assistance. Consequently, higher rates of anxiety (), substantial limitations in social activities () and a lower quality of life were reported in family caregivers looking after stroke survivors. Nevertheless, informal caregivers frequently remain an overlooked population, often excluded from recovery support protocols. Current practice in stroke focuses on functional recovery (), yet dance offers broader benefits by integrating physical (; ), cognitive (), and social engagement with musical experience (). Its efficacy is already well-established in other neurological populations, such as dementia () and Parkinson's disease (). While qualitative evidence suggests that the social nature of dance is crucial for fostering emotional security (), stroke research remains limited by inconsistent protocols and a primary focus on motor outcomes. Additionally, existing studies often utilize pre-defined dance styles (e.g., tango) that have reported high participant satisfaction (; ) and increased wellbeing (); however these interventions have overlooked participant-centered design.